Steam-table



A. M. DEMUT'H.

STEAM TABLE.

APPUCATION FILED M16520, 1919.

Patented Oct. 26, 1920 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 A. M. DEMUTH.

STEAM TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-20. 1919- Patented Oct. 26,1920.v

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

v 29 30 'x fl 5 Zi g- 55 p the table and project theremto for -any*de *accomplishment of other new and useful 0b- 3O described and claimed and shown in the ac- UNITED STATES ALrnnn M. DEMUTH, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STEAM-TABLE.

- 1 Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patented 0013.26, 1920.

Application filed meta 2o, 1919, Serial No. 313,712.

To allwhomitmay concern:

Be it known thatYI, A FRED M. DEMUTH, a citizen of the -United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Tables, of which the following is :a specification.

This invention relates .to improvements in what is commonly termed steam tables,par- 'ticularly adapted though not necessarily limited in its use for keeping hot or warm cooked articles'of food and which table is so constructed andarranged that ready access may be had to the variousarticles and at the same time the steam 'or heating medium will not only be prevented from escaping but will also be prevented from coming into contact with the articles of food. V e

A further object isto provide'an improved apparatus of this character whereby the heating mediumtvill'be' confined within the-table and maintained under a predeftermined pressure. f

To the attainment of these ends and the jects as will appear the inventionconsistsin .the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination "and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully 'companying drawings illustrating this in'- vention, and in which;'' j

Figure 1 is a view partly in vertical sectionypartly in elevation and partly broken away of a table of this character constructedin accordance with the principles of this invention. .i f' Fig. 2' is a top plan view of the same, Fig. 3 is a detail viewinelevationof the supporting rack.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a meat supporting block. 1

5 is an enlarged sect'on'al View of a detail; Y 1

{Referring more particularly to the draw.- ing,the numeral 10 designates generally'the table which is supported in (any suitable manner such as" ports a c The table proper is in the form of a closed tank or receptacle of any'desired size and'configuration and is provided withan'y by means of; legs or supdesired number of food chambers 13 which open through the upper wall or top lt'of Arranged to extend size considerably less. than; the interior diameter ofthe table so as to permit the heating medium whichisdelivered into the table to flow completely around the food These compartments may compartments. be of any'des red configuration, and "are ."Any desired heating mediumimay'be employed but in the present form of the invent1on the interior of thetable 10 is supplied sired distance. The food chambers are of a I with water through. thee-suitable" opening I closedby a suitable closure ,16; 1

The food compartments are preferably of a rounded configuration at the bottom'so as toform no obstructions or corners for dirt" pipe17 of any desired size.j The ends ofvthe ip'ipe project beyond the walls of the table 7 as at 18 and are open; The open ends are through the table is i a i closed by suitable-closures 19 so as to permit the'pipe 17 tobe cleaned b'y inserting an implement thereinto when the closures 19 are removed. "The foodchambers 13 are arrangedin' any suitable manner in the table and any number or series'thereof may be .7

providedf One of thesepipes 17 is preferably provided for each series and each of the food chambers has communication with the pipe 17 through the medium ofa suitable connection. 20*which is preferably the vform of-a sleeve or ferrule having a head or shoulder 21. The sleeveis adapted to beinserted through a suitable opening in the bottom of the food chamberso that the head 21 will rest in recessed portion 22 a in the bottom of the chamber to permit the endof thesleeve to stand flush with the bottom of the chamber and prevent-the formation of a shoulder; ;The other end' ofthe sleeve is threaded as at23 into the pipe 17 so as to form a communication between the The pipe 17 is preferably arranged at an 111-1 interior of the food chamber and the pipe.

the sleeve 20 and into the pipe; 17. will gravi tate toward the lower end of be discharged therefrom. v a The sleeve 2 0jjs preferably providedlwith internalfthreads" 24 into which a closure 25,

preferably in the form of a plug is adapted the pipe and p the height of the water in the table. thermometer may also be provided as well to be screwed so as to cut off communication between the chamber and the pipe.

When it is desired to clean the chambers 13, all that is necessary is to remove the plug.25 and allow the matter in the cham:

her to pass out into the pipe 17, after which the chambers may be washed, the water finding its outlet through the sleeve 20.

If desired there may be provided a chamber 26 supported from the top 14 of the table and which chamber extends into the table, but is closed to the inside thereof. itlnn this chamber 26 may be arranged a meat supporting element or board 27 having 'a reinforcing band 28 countersunk into the edge thereof to prevent the board from splitting. The board is preferably of a size to project out of the chamber 26 and abovethe top 14 of the table and is adapted to receive meat or like food which is to be cut. This board may be provided with a depression 29 to receive the juices and which depression terminates in a well 30 so as to permit the juices to be removed when desired without removing the meat. A cover or bell 31 may be provided if desired.

Covers 32 may food chambers 13.

- The heating medium 15 may be main tained at the desired temperature in any suitable manner. When it is desired to remove the water therefrom, this may be also be provided for the accomplished through the medium of a draw off cock suitably arranged, and a water gage 34 may be provided to indlcate A as a pressure gage 36 to indicate the pressure within the table. An automatic relief valve and a safety blow off valve 38 may also be provided, and in order to form a convenient means for sliding a tray along the front or one side of the table, a suitable rack 39 may be provided and this rack may be, supported by means of suitable brackets 40. ,A shelf or support 41 may also be pro vided beneath the table for holding dishes or the covers 31.32 when the latter are removed.

WVith this improved construction it will bemanifest that the food compartments are formed integral with the table and project thereinto, but are closed to the interior of the table sothat steam or vapor will not mix with the food or escape from the table to. burn or scald the attendant, while at the same time the food within the chainthat any one or more of the chambers may be readily cleaned and washed out while the food remains in the other chambers.

Obviously if it is desired, a suitable heatingapparatus such as a stove, burner or the like (not shown in the drawings) may be placed under the table to heat the water within the table. v

'In the present form of the invention two series of food chambers 13 have been shown and one drain pipe 17 isprovided for each of the respective series. Obviously and if desired, drain pipes individual to the food chambers may be provided,

lVhile the preferred form ofthe invention has been herein shown and described, it is. to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

V hat is claimed as new is V -1. A steam table of the character. de scribed embodying a tank or receptacle having a plurality of openings in,one wall, a plurality of food chambers projecting into the receptacle, encompassing the respective openings, and being spaced from the remaining walls ofthe receptacle,.said chambers being closedto the interior of the said receptacle, meanswhereby a heating fluid may be supplied to the receptacle, a closure for each of the food chambers, a conduit disposed below the chambers and opening through the wall of the tank, there being an outlet leading from the bottom of each of the chambers communicating with the conduit, means individual to the outlets for chamber being closed to the interior of the said receptacle, means whereby a heating fluid may be supplied to the receptacle, a conduit disposed below the said food chamber the oppositeendg of the conduit being open to permit cleaning of the conduit closures for the openings in the conduit, there being a communicating passage between the chamber and the conduit, and means for controlling the said passage. v

3. A steam table of the character described embodying a closed receptacle having a. plurality ,of openings through one wall, food chambers within the receptacle and encompassing the respective openings, said chambers being. spaced from the remaining walls of the receptacle, means for introducing a heating medium into the receptacle, said heating medium being maintained under pressure around the chambers, a pressure gage, a conduit extending through the receptacle and opening through the wall of the receptacle and into which conduit each of thechambers discharge, means individual to th'e'chambers for controlling the communicating passage therebetween and the conduit, and means for controlling outlet opening of the conduit.

4. A steam table of the character described embodying a closed receptacle having a portion shaped to form a comparatively shallow chamber extending into the receptacle and opening through one wall thereof, said chamber being closed to the interior of the receptacle and being spaced from the remaining'walls of the receptacle, and means for introducing a heating medium into the receptacle, in combination with a food supporting board or plate removably fitting said chamber and extending for a short distance beyond the adjacent wall of the receptacle.

5. A steam table of the character described embodying a closed receptacle having a portion shaped to form a comparatively shallow chamber extending into the receptacle and opening through one wall thereof, said chamber beingfclosed to the interior of thereceptacle and being spaced from the remaining walls of the, receptacle and means for introducing a heating medium into the receptacle, in combination with a food supporting board or plate removably fitting said chamber and extending for a short distance beyond the adjacent wall of the receptacle, the supporting sur-,

face of said board being dished or cup shaped, and a removable cover adapted to be placed over the said board.

6. A' steam table of the character described embodying a closed receptacle having a portion shaped to form food chambers extending into the receptacle and opening through one Wall of the receptable, said chambers beingclosed to the receptacle and spaced from the remaining walls of the re ceptacle, means for introducing a heating medium into the receptacle and around the chambers, a draw off connectingto the chambers and leading through the receptacle, means for controlling the draw ofl' and means individual to the, chambers for con trolling the discharge; therefrom into the character described embodying a receptacle having an opening through one wall, a food chamber ceptacle and being closed to the interior of the receptacle, a cover for the chamber, means 1 for introducing a heating medlum into the receptacle to be confined therem around the chamber, a conduit extending through opposite walls of the receptacle and 7 having open ends, the said conduit being inclined and having connection with the in-f terior of the chamber, and means forming closures for the said open ends of the conduit. v

8. A steam table of the character described embodying a receptacle having an opening through onewall, a food chamber encompassing the opening and extending into the receptacle, said chamber being spaced from'the remaining walls of the receptacle and being closed to the interior ofthe receptacle, a cover for the chamber, means for introducing a heating medium I into the receptacle to be confined therein around the chamber, a conduit leading from the chamber, the said conduit extending through opposite walls of the receptacle and being provided with openings accessible from the outside of the receptacle whereby the conduit may be cleaned, means forming closures for the SLLId'OPQHlIIgS in the conduit, and means for closing communication between the chamber and the said conduit.

9. A table of the character described embodying a closed tank having a plurality of openings in one Wall thereof, a recepta cle projecting intothe tank through each of the openings, said receptacles filling the respective openingsand forming a closure therefor to prevent the escape of vapor from the tank and around the receptacles,

maining Walls of the tank and beingclosed to the interior of the tank, a conduit arranged below and extending transversely of the receptacles, said conduit 'beingfslig'htly inclined and having open ends, closures for said. receptacles being spaced from the rep the said ends of the conduit, and connec- .7

tions individual to the receptacles and forming communications between the conduit and the respective receptacles.

In testimonywhereof I have signed my name to this specification, on this 9th day of August, A. D. 1919.

i ALFRED M. DEMUTH. 

